Across the States

ALEC Education and Workforce Task Force Director Andrew Handel and ALEC Executive VP of Policy Jonathan Williams host a policy hour on the Education Freedom Moment in the United States. States are reimaging education in their states. ALEC is joined by Sen. Jim Dotson of Arkansas, Sen. Pat Rucker of West Virginia, Speaker Pro Tem. John Wills of Iowa and economist Steve Moore. They discuss universal...

In recognition of January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, ALEC’s Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development (CIED) Task Force hosted a webinar addressing this issue. Guest speakers from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the National Beer Wholesalers Association, Summit Beverage, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce discussed ongoing efforts to help prevent and end human tr...

Join the American Optometric Association's Dr. William T. Reynolds and ALEC Senior Director of the ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Brooklyn Roberts for a discussion on how states can play a critical role in addressing growing problems with vision plan providers. The American Optometric Association said too often vision plan providers are getting between patients and doctors and making it...

On this episode of Across the States, Matt Fisher sits down with Jenny Schmitt, an accomplished advocate for the Nurse Anesthesiology profession, and Mike MacKinnon, the owner of MacKinnon Anesthesia and the Program Director for National Anesthesia Services. Together with ALEC's Director of Health and Human Services task force, Brooklyn Roberts, they discuss the significance of anesthetics and why...

Matt Fisher hosts a conversation between New York Post Columnist Rikki Schlatt, ALEC Education and Workplace Task Force Director Andrew Handel and Executive Director of Speech First Cherise Trump about free speech on campuses and the battle for the First Amendment in higher education.

On this episode of Across the States, Matt Fisher hosts Will Estrada, the President of Parental Rights, to talk about school choice, charter schools, and the issues behind the discussion of educational freedom.

If you’ve discussed cryptocurrencies or talked to people who work in the digital technologies space, “blockchain” is a term you’ve likely heard before. But what does it actually mean? Join Leo Briceno on this episode of Across the States as he interviews Yan Pritzker, the CTO of Swan Bitcoin and a blockchain expert, and Jonathon Hauenschildchild, ALEC’s Communications and Technology Task Force Dir...

Criminal justice reform is an issue of growing national importance. Join Nino Marchese, ALEC Task Force Director for Civil and Criminal, and Catherine Mortensen as they sit down with Lew Evangelidis, Sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts, who is making his community safe again by reforming his jail and holding people accountable by following the motto "There is no dignity in dependence." YouT...

The recent acquisition of social media giant Twitter by Elon Musk has sparked vigorous debate. Joining Across the States to discuss what Musk’s purchase of Twitter means and how governments have been pressuring social media companies to remove content is Harmeet Dhillon, CEO of the Center for American Liberty and long-time civil rights and free speech attorney, and Jonathon Hauenschild, Director o...

The American Legislative Exchange Council's Chief Economist Jonathan Williams unveils the 2022 Rich States, Poor States annual ranking of states based on how well they are governed. How does your state rank? Video edition of podcast: Why are Some States Rich and Some States Poor Rich States, Poor States website

Inflation reached record heights in March as prices soared by 8.5%. With working families paying more for gas and groceries, Lee Schalk, Vice President of Policy at ALEC, and Joe Trotter, Director of Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force, joined ALECtv and Across the States to discuss this latest development with Matt Fisher and Catherine Mortensen.\ Video Version of Today's Podcast, Run...

Results from the recent school board elections across Wisconsin sent a strong message to elected officials that parent empowerment matters. Joining Bill Ashworth and Catherine Mortensen on ALECtv and Across the States this week are three individuals who won seats on their respective school boards in Wisconsin, Matthew Phipps, Matthew Spaulding, and Tony Vlastelica, about what inspired them to get...

Last week, the American Legislative Exchange Council released the second edition of the 2021 Laffer-ALEC Report on Economic Freedom, Grading America’s Governors . Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy, and Lee Schalk, Vice President of Policy, joined Matthew Fisher to break down the best and worst governors of America, what the report measures, and highligh...

The Russian invasion of Ukraine combined with regulations at the state and federal level have presented a myriad of challenges for rural Americans and the agriculture industry. Join Matthew Fisher and Joe Trotter, Director of the ALEC Task Force on Energy, Environment, and Agriculture, as they sit down with Phil Green, Representative from Michigan's 84th District and Chair of the ALEC Subcommittee...

In the second of a two-part Across the States special on the War in Ukraine, Mykola Vorobiov, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow & Journalist based in Kyiv, Ukraine, sat down for another interview on March 15, 2022, with Karla Jones, Sr. Director of the ALEC Task Force on International Relations and Federalism offers his eyewitness testimony on the situation on the ground in Ukraine as U...

The ongoing war of Russian aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated the brutality of Vladimir Putin and the heroism of the Ukrainian people. In in the first of a two-part special by Across the States on the war in Ukraine, Mykola Vorobiov, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow & Journalist based in Kyiv, Ukraine, joined Karla Jones, Sr. Director of the ALEC Task Force on International Re...

At CPAC 2022 in Orlando, Florida, John Cardillo, conservative commentator, sat down for an interview with Matt Fisher at the ALEC booth to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and more.

Small businesses are responsible for more than 60% of all new jobs created in the United States. In Iowa, Representative John Wills is leading the charge to invest in the entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and cottage industries who make up the backbone of our economy. On today’s episode of Across the States, ALEC’s February State Legislator of the Month and Board of Directors member Representa...

Law enforcement officials face new and emerging challenges everyday. At CPAC 2022, Nino Marchese, Director of the ALEC Task Forces on Civil Justice and Criminal Justice, sat down with Rob O'Donnell, author for Law Enforcement Today, to discuss the status of police reform and how America can invest more in those who vow to serve and protect their communities and country. LEARN MORE: ALEC Task Force...

On February 16, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ALEC recorded a Policy Hour podcast featuring Lisa B. Nelson, CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council and Ms. Karla Jones, Senior Director of the ALEC Federalism and International Relations Task Force as they discuss the then unfolding crisis in Ukraine with Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, Yaroslav Brisiuck, DCM of the Embassy of Ukraine...

School choice has become a national movement in statehouses across America. To learn more about this innovative policy of empowerment, join Matthew Fisher as he sits down with Jason Bedrick, Director of Policy, Michael McShane, Director of National Research at EdChoice, and Andrew Handel, Director of the Education and Workforce Development. Ed Choice website, https://www.edchoice.org/ Axios articl...

The debate over healthcare dominates the national political discourse, but state lawmakers possess significant power and ability to bring about positive reforms for their constituents. Join us as Matthew Fisher sits down with Brian Blase, founder of the Paragon Health Institute, Naomi Lopez, Director of Healthcare Policy at the Goldwater Institute, and Matt Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Dir...

Senator John Albers of Georgia is not only a strong supporter of ALEC. He is a lawmaker with a resume of results. And on today’s episode of Across the States, he joins us to share his thoughts on the state of Georgia politics and how he and his family have overcome trials to better serve his constituents. Fox 5 Atlanta article, “Georgia Senate approves bill inspired by senator’s family health jour...

In Loudoun County, Virginia, the struggle for parents rights in education has captured the public’s attention. On today’s episode of Across the States, we sit down with John Whitbeck, partner at WhitbeckBennet Family Law firm and former Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, Bill Ashworth, Vice President of Public Affairs and Engagement, and Andrew Handel, Director of the ALEC Taskforce for Ed...

State legislatures are assembled, and lawmakers are debating how best to foster economic growth in their states. Join us as we sit down with Carla J. Sonntag, President and Founder of the New Mexico Business Coalition, and Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy, to discuss what changes need to be made in states like New Mexico struggling with high taxes and...